Monday, June 4, 2012

Ask Us Anything: I'm Pregnant and Can't Afford Pre-natal Care or Delivery. What Can I Do?

Posted by
Catholic Health

"My husband and I are having a baby in November. I make less than federal minimum wage, and my husband and I will have almost no income (and no insurance) after the start of the fall semester.

Can I get emergency Medicaid for the delivery? If something goes wrong, can I tell them that I'm an illegal immigrant (even though my husband and I are both natural-born U.S. citizens) and not give the hospital my I.D. or social security number?"

Catholic Health Responds:

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

In answer to your question, misrepresenting yourself as an illegal immigrant in order to qualify for assistance is not an option. Doing so would constitute fraud and could lead to your having to pay restitution (which
can be hundreds of thousands of dollars) and being criminally
prosecuted.

Fortunately, there are resources available to aid with the costs of pregnancy and delivery.

First, apply for Medicaid and the Child Health Plus programs through the county. It is likely that you will qualify for Medicaid, but if your Medicaid application is not accepted, you may at least be able to get coverage for the newborn. Click on the links below for more information:

If you are a Catholic Health patient, we offer financial assistance for persons who quality. You would receive services as a self-pay patient. Then, you would apply for our Healthcare Assistance Program by providing a letter of financial difficulty and proof of income. Any balance that is left over would need to be paid out-of-pocket (we offer payment plans to make repayment more manageable).